My Mother - A "Joiner" & A "Shining Star" - Fearless Females

My mother, Kathleen Weston, nee Danson of Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire (left) was both a "Shining Star"  and a "Joiner". Because of my father's work, we moved around a lot, and Mum joined whatever women's group was there - Mother's Union, Townswoman's Guild, Church Work Group, Parent-Teachers Association, Women's Rural Institute (WRI) .

Whenever there was a coffee morning, bring & buy sale, spring fete, summer fete, Christmas fete, Mum was part of the activity, with her contributions for the sales tables - aprons, cushion covers, doll's clothes, soft toys and of course cake and candy. As a dressmaker she was often called upon to help with costumes for Gala Days and concerts.  

For Mum was also a "stitcher" and was always making something.  She entered WRI competitions, taking part in a catwalk show to model an outfit she made and the  Alice in Wonderland collage (below) , made for my daughter,   won a national prize in a competition for "Tomorrow's Heirlooms. 

 

Below are more exmaples of her talent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costumes for Staining Gala Day - in apple green satin
I am the little girl on the front row left.

 

An embrodered traycloth
 

 

All the family moves meant I was at three secondary schools.   Later in my life, Mum's example stayed with me, and left me an important message on how to make friends and become involved in a new community.    An inspiration!

 

 

 

Fearless Females is a blog In honour of National Women's History Month in the USA. Suggested by Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist, it provides 31 Blogging Prompts for March.

March 17th - What social groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? 
March 18th - Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

Adaped from posts first written in March 2011.